Translating Suspense: The Short Story “Rescue” by Ali Al-Kasimi as a Case Study

Abstract

Many elements contribute to the creation of suspense. In addition to the dramatic suspense proper, which is created through events, characterization, characters (both static and dynamic), environment (both static and dynamic), etc., there are also linguistic and stylistic elements. In the present study, which is a critical textual study of a translation that I personally completed for the short story collection Time to Leave and, in reference in particular to the short story "Rescue", we will focus primarily on the stylistic and linguistic elements necessary to the creation of suspense, mostly from a translation perspective. Nonetheless, we will not neglect other aspects that are not directly related to suspense but have a fundamental bearing to translation issues. It is to be noted that Ali Al-Kasimi is a master of both the suspense-building narrative style as well as the dramatic suspense.